


The Fire

by Mahokoyuki



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Brief Violence, M/M, Mention of blood, Underground fight club au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-09
Updated: 2017-03-09
Packaged: 2018-10-01 10:58:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10188428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mahokoyuki/pseuds/Mahokoyuki
Summary: And Tanaka beat his chest, roaring at the crowd as blood dripped off his chin and Ennoshita had never felt more alive.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Grimauxilibabetrix](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Grimauxilibabetrix).



> For http://grimauxilibabetrix.tumblr.com/

Ennoshita Chikara had a secret.

No one would ever guess what it was. Not that he was exceptionally close to anyone outside of his family, but he was certain they wouldn't be able to figure it out either.

Ennoshita was boring, a simple clerk who lead a simple life. He'd go to work, come home, sometimes work some more, and took care of his cat, Jabba.

There would be the occasional drinks on a Saturday night with coworkers but he never stayed long. Ennoshita wasn't suited well to life in the city. There was too much going on. He much preferred being a homebody and chatting with old friends on the phone to catch up. And even then those calls weren't very frequent.

However, one night changed Ennoshita's life and he has yet to conclude if it was for the better-

Or worse.

He may have had a bit too much too drink that evening while forcing himself to relax and somewhat socialize with some coworkers. Ennoshita snuck out early, as usual, and, also as usual, no one noticed or stopped him. 

But this night, he took a wrong turn and ended up in a part of the city he'd never been before rather than the train station he usually made it to.

He saw a few people head into an alley and when he followed, found a set of stairs leading down to a door on the side of the building.

'Maybe I can get directions.' His buzzed brain offered, any ounce of self preservation pushed away by the alcohol.

Ennoshita went down, a large man inside the door giving him a once over with a raised brow but let him pass with a grin. Weird.

He went down another set of stairs and could hear noises. Music? Cheers? Ennoshita assumed he stumbled into some club and realized belatedly he should've asked the burly man upstairs for directions. However, in his current state, curiosity was taking over and he finished his descent into a sea of bodies.

No one was dancing, a lot of people were screaming, several waving money in the air. It smelled of sweat and beer and something metallic that Ennoshita couldn't place at the moment. 

He carefully pushed his way through, toward the center that everyone seemed to face. 

"Next, Tanaka and Bokuto! Final bets need placed now! Odds 2:1 in favor of Bokuto!" Ennoshita nearly gagged as he made through, the smell of vomit mixing with the alcohol and...was that blood?

He'd made it to a clearing in the middle of what almost felt like a basement. More big guys were helping keep people back. Spectators, his mind offered. And two other men just stepped past them. 

One was tall with weird hair and big eyes. He had a goofy smile on his face and didn't even notice when he stepped in the small pool of blood on the floor. The other...

Ennoshita's breath caught. The shorter male, Tanaka, he'd find out later, was shorter but made up entirely of muscle. His head was shaved and he looked almost bored, exuding a coolness despite the chaos around him.

But what got to Ennoshita the most was the man's eyes. Focused, fierce, determined. There was a fire behind them that lit into the clerk, feeling the burn from this far away.

And the fight that ensued didn't disappoint. The whole time he had clenched his fists, watching this Tanaka take hits to the point of getting his lip split and a nice bruise blossoming on his leg from a particularly sick sounding kick. But he persevered and found the opening he must have been waiting for. He charged and took the other down, pinning him and pulling his arm back until-

Screaming. The weird hair guy was screaming, holding the arm that lay limp at his side, obviously dislocated, possible even broken. 

And Tanaka beat his chest, roaring at the crowd as blood drippedd off his chin and Ennoshita had never felt more alive.

From that moment on the boring clerk became a regular. He went every Saturday night, the bouncer at the door eventually just waving him in with a chuckle. Sometimes Tanaka fought, sometimes he didn't. The nights he wasn't there weren't as intense but Ennoshita came all the same, not wanting to miss when Tanaka did fight.

After a few months Ennoshita realized he had a crush on the fighter. Not the first time he'd been attracted to a guy so he didn't have to go through that sort of mess again about his sexuality, but this was a guy he didn't even know.

Tanaka fights. He wins...most of the time. Can take a beating. And there's usually blood involved. 

And he had a killer smile and even Ennoshita could feel the passion the guy had for what he does.

So, maybe that fire set something off within himself. After months of watching he found himself at a nearby gym one morning, an old shirt on and a pair of jogging pants from high school that were a little too short, and most likely a scared look on his face as he watched the men around him work with ease.

Two guys in the makeshift ring boxing, a few at the punching bags, several jumping rope so fast Ennoshita couldn't even see the rope. He was a realist. He didn't come to learn to fight, to do what Tanaka did, could never deal with the pain or the blood loss, but maybe he could get back in shape at least. 

He swallowed, unsure of where to start as he awkwardly made his way to a punching bag.

"Oi. You're gonna wanna stretch first."

Ennoshita jumped and turned, an apology dying on his lips when he saw the man before him.

Tanaka. In a tight tank top and shorts that were practically a second skin.

He could only stare and the fighter raised a brow and rubbed his head. "Uh...you know how to stretch? I could show...wait, do I know you?"

Ennoshita shook his head so quick it hurt his neck. "N-no! I mean, we've never...". He had to look away.

Great, now he'd never be able to go back to the fights.

"Right. But I've seen you before." There was a grin, a flash of teeth, and a heavy hand came down on his shoulder. "A few times."

Ennoshita gulped. "You must be mistaking me for someone...else." Tanaka's face was in front of his suddenly and he could feel the heat creeping up his neck and to his cheeks.

"Doubt it. Got the itch do ya? To fight?"

"Not exactly." No use denying it, he was caught. And part of Ennoshita was thrilled at being recognized. It was like a spark went down his spine.

"Come to meet me?" Did that sound...hopeful?

"N-no, I'm not a stalker!" Ennoshita hissed and Tanaka laughed.

"Fate then, huh? That you came here."

"I don't..."

"Tanaka Ryūnosuke. Nice to meet ya."

"Ennoshita. Ah, Ennoshita Chikara..."

"Ennoshita." Tanaka repeated and finally let go, allowing some space to return between them. "After I put you through a hellish work out, how about we get some lunch together? I'd like to get to know the man in the suit that's always in the crowd."

"O-okay...". Was this even real?

Tanaka winked and gestured Ennoshita to follow. He pinched himself, hard, and winced at the pain.

Not a dream. 

"Come on! Take too long and you're paying for our food!"

And how could Ennoshita say no?

The fire had already started and he was ready to let it burn.


End file.
